MOSCOW, December 17. /TASS/. Russian troops liberated the community of Gerasimovka in the Dnepropetrovsk Region over the past 24 hours in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday.

"Battlegroup East units kept advancing deep into the enemy’s defenses and liberated the settlement of Gerasimovka in the Dnepropetrovsk Region," the ministry said in a statement.

Kiev loses 1,340 troops along engagement line in past day – latest figures

The Ukrainian army lost roughly 1,340 troops in battles with Russian forces in all the frontline areas over the past 24 hours, according to the latest data on the special military operation in Ukraine released by Russia’s Defense Ministry.

The latest figures show that the Ukrainian army lost roughly 160 troops and an armored combat vehicle in the responsibility area of Russia’s Battlegroup North, about 230 troops and three US-made armored combat vehicles in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup West and over 200 troops and two artillery guns in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup South.

During the last 24-hour period, the Ukrainian army also lost over 470 troops and two US-made armored combat vehicles in the responsibility area of Russia’s Battlegroup Center, roughly 235 troops, two tanks and three armored combat vehicles in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup East and about 45 troops and a self-propelled artillery system in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup Dnepr, the latest figures show.

Russian forces continue destroying surrounded Ukrainian troops near Dimitrov

Russia’s Battlegroup Center continued destroying surrounded Ukrainian troops in Dimitrov in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup Center units continued destroying the surrounded enemy in the neighborhoods Vostochny and Zapadny in the city of Dimitrov in the Donetsk People’s Republic. They kept mopping up the settlements of Rodinskoye, Svetloye and Grishino in the Donetsk People’s Republic of scattered Ukrainian army groups," the ministry said.

Russian forces strike Ukrainian uncrewed boat assembly site over past day

Russian forces struck an uncrewed boat assembly center, transport infrastructure used by the Ukrainian army and troop deployment areas over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Operational/tactical aircraft, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groups of forces struck a center of Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) facilities for the assembly and testing of uncrewed boats, transport infrastructure used to support the Ukrainian army’s operations, workshops for the assembly of long-range attack unmanned aerial vehicles, and also temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 143 locations," the ministry said.

Russian air defenses intercept 180 Ukrainian UAVs over past day

Russian air defense forces intercepted and destroyed 180 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the past 24 hours, the ministry reported.

"Air defense capabilities shot down 180 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles," the ministry said.

Overall, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 669 Ukrainian combat aircraft, 283 helicopters, 103,542 unmanned aerial vehicles, 640 surface-to-air missile systems, 26,574 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,633 multiple rocket launchers, 31,973 field artillery guns and mortars and 49,280 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.